The Haute Route – The Most Scenic Trek in Europe The Haute Route is the classic hiking and trekking route leading from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland, like Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn. Actually, it’s at least two completely different hiking routes, but we’ll come to that in a minute. Published by Orell Fussli (the same folks who print Swiss currency) these beautiful full-color maps include hiking trails printed in red and with standard times (uphill and down) between trail junctions. The Sorting House The Haute Route is a classic trekking route that goes from Chamonix to Zermatt, connecting Mont Blanc with the Matterhorn. Dolomites Haute Route Ski Tour: Looking for a challenge? Noted guide and author Kev Reynolds states, "By artistic use of shading, contours and colouring, the lines of ridges and rock faces, the flow of glaciers and streams, the curve of an amphitheatre, narrow cut of a glen, the expanse of a lake and forest cover of a hillside all announce themselves clearly. Our enduring classic is perfect for longer ski excursions. The Haute Route Chamonix-Zermatt: A guide for skiers and mountain walkers by Peter Cliff is really good for describing most common variations of the Haute Route. The HAUTE ROUTE has been around almost since the birth of ski touring. The Haute Route, (or the High Route or Mountaineers' Route) is the name given to a route (with several variations) undertaken on foot or by ski touring between the Mont Blanc Chamonix in France, and the Matterhorn Zermatt in Switzerland. These maps can be purchased along the way at various shops and stores, at a local cost of about $16 per map. 1:50000 Hiking Maps (Routes marked in red) $26.00 each. This glaciated trek traverses the crest of the Western Alps and passes through stunning high mountain scenery, whilst overnighting in mountain huts. In terms of which skis to use for the Haute Route, remember you are going to be pushing them up hill a lot, so weight is a big consideration. Connecting the 2 alpine centers of Chamonix and Zermatt, it offers everything you would expect on a high mountain ski tour! The Haute Route via Verbier is by far the most popular version of the Haute Route, The skiing is excellent, with every day offering at least a few good opportunities for some fun downhill. This great journey traverses glaciers and high passes through the very heart of the alps, taking in … Since we were the first party to do this in 2003, we broke trails much of the time. 1:50000 Snowshoe and Ski Tour Maps $28.00 each 1:100000 Valais/Wallis National Map (Ideal for planning your Haute Route adventure) $29.00 each The accuracy, quality, and artistry of SwissTopo maps make them among the finest in the world. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. This day is used for revising off-piste and ski touring techniques. In addition to Haute Route maps, we stock a wide variety of other SwissTopo maps: The accuracy, quality, and artistry of SwissTopo maps make them among the finest in the world. The Haute Route ski tour linking Chamonix and Zermatt in the western European Alps is without doubt the most famous ski tour in the World. 1: The team meets at 8:30am in Verbier. Copyright © 2005-2021 alpenwild.com. Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route – Verbier Route . First pioneered as a walking route in 1861, it is nowadays most commonly done on skis as a week long hut to hut tour. We are open for advice web orders, click and collect and mail order but our shop is closed to customers sadly. Le Tour to Col de la Forclaz (September 31, 2010) 6.5 miles, +3482 ft, -3324 ft; 18.2% avg grade up, … Jotunheim Haute Route Ski Tour from peter murphy, Community Highlights; Show all ski tours in Norway on the map. It is the highest refugio in the Alps and the highest building in Europe. The Haute Route is one of the world’s most famous high-altitude trails, taking you from Chamonix in the Mont Blanc valley to Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn in Switzerland. The Haute Route passes some amazing natural environments traditionally starting from Chamonix in France and crossing to Zermatt in Switzerland although there are a number of variants. Our trip coincided with the first days of American-Iraq war. Start Planning Your Trip. This is especially rewarding if you enjoy navigation, routefinding, and working with topographical maps. The Haute Route is a long distance hiking route. What makes it so good? Our enduring classic is perfect for longer ski excursions. Icicle offers the most popular route, but each year we organise bespoke trips for groups set on other variations. Innlandet 4 ski tours; Møre og Romsdal 6 ski tours; Nordland 14 ski tours; Troms og Finnmark 69 ski tours; Similar activities for this region. Ilkley Road Connecting the two alpine centres of Chamonix and Zermatt, the route offers everything you’d expect on a high mountain ski tour – with glacial terrain every day, amazing scenery, tough climbs and big ski descents. We also offer self guided TMBs. Alpine Ski Mountaineering: Volume 1, Western Alps by Bill O’Connor is a must if you think that skiing the Haute Route will lead to other European ski tours. Follow Haute Routes, or Alta Via, as you hike, skin, and ski the dramatic hidden backcountry of Marmolada, Sella, and Val di Fassa, far from the crowds. As a service to our clients, Alpenwild is an authorized reseller of Swiss Topo products and provides a complete set of French and Swiss detailed topographic survey maps, featuring the most detailed 1:25000 scale, and well as the 1:50000 hiking maps with trails marked in red. While you can hike the Haute Route on a self-guided basis using a guidebook alone, official SwissTopo maps provide an excellent and reliable resource. Haute Route with Chamonix Experience. The route is much more direct as it stays high without the huge ups and downs into the valleys. We maintain a ready inventory of the most popular maps and can order any map and have it delivered in several days. Rather than just a single path, it’s really a network of trails traversing the Pennine Alps and crossing the high passes and glacial valleys of the region. Wharfebank Mills The Haute Route in its entirety dates back to 1924 (the history of the individual passes or ‘cols’ is much longer), so the journey is steeped in history and tradition. This article by Alexandre Buisse was originally published on Switchback Travel in 2012, and we’ve kept it on the site due to the incredible imagery and inspirational value. The place and the journey through. We've done it twice, but admittedly, not since 2005! We maintain a ready inventory of the most popular maps and can order any map and have it delivered in several days. Otley With departures each week, we are truely the Alpine specialists in Chamonix Mont Blanc. Day 0: The team arrives Verbier and enjoys a night in a comfortable local hotel. 6 days of Touring between Chamonix and Zermatt. From Europe’s tallest mountain, Mont Blanc (4,807 m / 15,770 ft), to the famous Matterhorn, our route leads along some of the most spectacular mountain scenery to be found anywhere on earth. Icicle offers the Walkers Haute Route both as self-guided or fully guided trips. A picture of the country immediately leaps from the paper.". The Haute Route Ski Tour is the most famous ski tour in the Alps and is a must for any enthusiastic ski tourer! FAQ - Can I Mount A Different Binding On To My Old Ski. These are the maps most frequently requested requested by our clients on the Haute Route. 4 Vallées                      $16.00 Lovingly known as the “Spaghetti Tour”, this glaciated trek circumnavigates the Monte Rosa Massif, crossing from Switzerland into Italy and back. Cordura®, PFC-free double-layered Polyamide 420D Oxford and PU coating on all fabrics make our HAUTE ROUTE 40 extremely scuff and water resistant. The Italian Haute Route a good progression for those who have completed the Chamonix – Zermatt Haute Route. 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